Simon Jordan hits back at Jim White over West Ham United and David Sullivan questions
Simon Jordan has hit back at Jim White after he mooted potential questions that David Sullivan may have asked David Moyes following the West Ham defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday (20 December).
Speaking on talkSPORT on Thursday (21 December), the pundit said the Hammers co-owner would have a “problem” with the Scotsman if he were to ask questions him about why he played a weakened team in the 5-1 Carabao Cup quarter-final loss to the Reds.
He added that it’s a “recipe for disaster” for the Irons chairman to question Moyes’s team selection as it’s the manager’s job to pick the side.
“You’d expect him to play a team that’s going to make more of a fist of it,” said White.
“I’m always up for supporting David, but you’re in the quarter-finals of a cup,” replied Jordan. “You’re going to be asked questions if you field a team that is in a situation where it’s at a disadvantaged perspective against one of the bigger sides in the division.
“People ask that question, it’s not a cheap question, it’s not a journalist’s job to look back at how many games you’ve played. You’re playing in the quarter-finals of a major competition, so you’re pricing it into your thinking that it’s not that important.”
White then asked: “If you’re Sullivan, do you say to David Moyes this morning, is there not a question to be asked about why he didn’t play a stronger team?”
Jordan replied: “I’m not saying anything because that’s the manager’s job and, if I start saying that, then I’ve got a problem with the manager.
“At the end of the day, I make my decisions over a longer period of time rather than on an individual game. I’m sure I’ve got enough of a relationship with David Moyes to suggest he makes the decisions on what team he picks.”
White added: “You’re right, though, only on a few occasions will West Ham be knocking on the door to get into the semi-final of a cup competition.”
“They’re two different conversations,” said Jordan. “The getting involved and saying why didn’t you play a different team, which is just a recipe for disaster, and a journalist saying ‘why did you rotate?’. They are two different bookings. Both have some validity if you want validity.
“If I was an owner, I wouldn’t have that conversation. I certainly wouldn’t have a conversation that was in any way challenging.”
Let the fans down
It was a shocking decision by Moyes to make six changes to his side and leave out some of West Ham’s best players against Liverpool.
There were 6,000 Hammers fans behind the goal that deserved him to at least take the game seriously and give it a go at Anfield.
It was already a huge challenge to try and pick up a result on Merseyside, but as soon as the starting lineup was announced, it never looked like the Irons could book their place in the semi-finals of the competition.
It isn’t really Sullivan’s place to be questioning Moyes on his team selection, but the decisions he made will be remembered and could count against him with regards to his future at the London Stadium.
It’s instances like this why a number of the club’s fans have a fragmented relationship with the Scotsman because there was a real lack of respect shown to the people who paid their hard-earned money to travel the length of the country to support their team.
In other West Ham news, a journalist has shared why the Hammers are likely to block one player’s exit in January.